Many people come to college with one plan and leave it with an entirely different plan. A lot of that may be due to students choosing the wrong major. But how do you know if you’re making the right or wrong decisions? Well, that can be a journey in itself. And first, you have to figure out some things.
- Learn about yourself
If you want to know if a certain area of study suits you, you obviously need to know what it is that suits your specific person. It might sound weird, but we often understand the people around us more than we understand ourselves. Therefore, it is important that you take time to truly get to know yourself. Solo date. Journal. Dive deep into your traits. It goes beyond introvert or extrovert. Beyond what your family or friends want and expect from you. Understand why you react to different situations the way you do. What is your first thought when approaching a problem that needs fixing? All the tiny details you can observe about yourself are vital to understanding what you want to do with your life. Your personality is a unique, precious subject that should be studied before any major.
On top of figuring out who you are (no existential crisis needed), you need to know what you want from your career path/major. Are you looking for a fulfilling career that gives you purpose? Or maybe a hobby that you do purely for the love of the game? Or just another quest in your life that also serves as an income source? If you know how much weight you want your degree to hold in your life, you can improve your ability at picking one up.
- Explore your paths
Another significant task you should take up during your time at college is exploring. Taking a diverse range of classes can be beneficial, but many of us don’t have the money or time for an additional course load. Therefore, a good alternative option would be extracurriculars. If you are not sure about your major, try another one! Join an economics-based org as a chemical engineering major. Or attend a prelaw event as a pre-med student. There are many different student clubs to look into that don’t require specific majors. Go to a couple of recruiting events before you commit or sit in on a general meeting if you’re able to.
Volunteering is a similar great option to joining orgs. Volunteering can give you hands-on experience of what it would be like to be a part of a different zone. Internships too. Diversify that resume as much as you can, not for employers to see but for you to find out what will stick. However, it does not need to be all in the application process realm. Pick up a new hobby! Yes, some hobbies can and should be made into careers. Start new recreational pastimes; you might find one that will become your future. If not, at least you found something better than doom scrolling.
It is also very important to talk to diverse groups of students. Befriend people who make completely different academic and career choices than you. This way, you learn about majors and minors you might not have known existed, and career fields you didn’t know could be available. Someone out there right now could be studying ‘Frolicking 101,’ and you’ll never know if you don’t ask. Branching out from your field of study is the best way to open your mind to a new passion or a better path.
- Trial and error
Figuring out what you want to commit to can be hard, and it’s crucial to be easy on yourself. Everyone is on individual journeys, and where you decide to go should not be reliant on anyone but yourself. How long it takes for you to get there is also nobody’s business but yours. If you live a life of comparison, then you’ll be stuck at the end of a never-ending race.
Last key thing to consider: if you are going to devote yourself to anything, it should add to your life more than take away from it. Let your major, career, or life come from you, not at you.